Yanagi Sushi

I finally tried Yanagi sushi recently, and it was worth all the hype![Location]Yanagi Sushi is located on Kapiolani, and consequently offers limited parking. I visited on a rainy Monday evening, and struggled to find a close by parking sport. If you're lucky, you can find a spot in the lot behind the restaurant. Or you can opt for valet in front. You might also find street parking. Just know there are options--but it could be nice to Uber over and not worry about parking at all. The restaurant has restrooms.[Ambiance]I loved the ambiance of Yanagi. It felt homey yet impressive at the same time. There are photos of celebrity guests on the walls, and the restaurant has a Japanese-inspired aesthetic. Perfect place to catch up with friends/family or go on a date![Service]When I called to make a reservation, the staff was very kind and helpful. I even got a reminder of my reservation via phone call, which was appreciated. The waiting staff were very nice as well. Everyone was patient and accommodating. I felt well cared for![Food]The food was amazing! The sushi was fresh, and I loved the oysters. The butterfish was buttery, not fishy. The rolls were fun to share and delicious! Miso soup was standard but lovely. Family style is the way to go, though they have deals that are worth checking out.Overall, I had a positive experience at Yanagi and will be back again!

Another amazing dinner with some fantastic people in my life. Everything was exactly as good as I've heard and I would highly recommend coming here. There's a reason they've been around for 30+ yrs.

Always a solid go-to for special lunch bentos. We typically share a 3-choice combo, and one other option from the menu. The staff are quick, ready to top up your beer, and ready to get the job done. Don't come in expecting service that panders just to getting tips - who really wants that? They are friendly but don't lay it on thick like a lot of places. Another bonus is the aircon is strong! Bring a light jacket if you're sensitive to it. An amazing respite.

Whenever I drive by, I think fondly of my dad who hosted many a dinner here. Haven't been to Yanagi Sushi in years. Why you may ask? First off, the parking was always so horrible. Although valet parking is available, the lot is so tiny that I was always concerned about getting my car dinged. Entering the restaurant felt like I was back in Japan with many tables crammed in and many turns through narrow paths to get seated. Yanagi sushi gets an extra star as they accommodated my group of 5 without reservations after enjoying The 40th Anniversary Honolulu City Lights! Maybe I wasn't expecting much because I was prepared to be turned away. I would recommend bottled drinks, wine or sake as the bar made drinks were not very good. The menu options are plentiful. We assumed portion sizes would be on the smaller side and over ordered . We had plenty of leftovers. Service was on point as we never had to ask for water refills and waitstaff constantly checking in on us. I don't know if the 2 hour dining limit is enforced, but there is a sign posted at each table. When we left, there were a lot of diners waiting outside. Sorry not many pics as my phone died after snapping a lot of pics & videos at the Honolulu City Lights.

My experience here for lunch was super disappointing. This place is always so crowded for some reason which surprises me after our experience. The servers were rude and short to me and my mom. We ordered the lunch special with the soba and nigiri and was told the soba takes extra long to cook around 30 minutes. I asked them if they made their own soba because that seems super long just to boil noodles... they said no, it's packaged. Weird... she was right, however... it actually did take 30 minutes after we got our other items for lunch for the soba to come. It was nothing special... it's just boiled noodles. Wonder why it took so long. Service was super slow after that where we had to wait forever to get our tab. The place where they sat us was dingy and had a sushi shower curtain separating two tables. It's quite tacky so if you plan on impressing some people with sushi... the ambience is not impressive for the amount of money you're paying.When I was leaving out the door, I overheard the server telling the customer in a rude tone yelling for her to wait outside. Felt bad for the lady... Lastly, the valet service they have was such a mess when we were leaving. It took us another 20 minutes to get the car out because cars were being blocked in.

This is my cousin's favorite sushi place. Every time I visit the island for sure we'll be coming here. To be honest I just think it's ok, pretty consistent. With so many good sushi places on the island I'd rather go somewhere else. But it's not bad just nothing special. Everything across the board is pretty good. It is very popular with locals and is open late as well. The service is good and it's a pretty big place. They do valet parking and there is also street parking..........

A banger since as long as I can remember.... If you can get a seat. Excellent service, reasonable price, and that feeling that you're home!!!! I especially love the late night special deals. We went at 8:30 on a friday night and the wait was 30 min.

Amazing Japanese restaurant and authentic! I always enjoy coming here.Sashimi was great and fresh each time with their authentic wasabi. Misoyaki salmon and butterfish are both very tasty and rich, and one of my favorite dishes here. Green tea ice cream was also smooth and very creamy. I highly recommend! Service was also excellent and it's a nice and cozy place.

Parking - Small parking lot in the front. In the back get some. After 7pm, street parking. Service - Been coming here forever and the staff have been the same as always. Usually come here for their late night menu. There is always a wait. It starts at 9pm til 2am I think. Food - Every meal - comes with shrimp, bean sprouts and edamame. Salmon onion - 100% gotta get it. This is the dish they are most known for. Nobody else even comes close. Salmon Katsu and Chicken Katsu - one of the best on the island. It's light and crispy. Both were juicy AF. Teri beef and Teri Chicken - both are good complements to the Katsu. Always has been my go to spot for late night eats and always will be.

Love the ambiance and pictures of past customers. This place definitely has history. Lots of celebrities come to visit this place. My friends and I always come here late night to order their specials. The service is quick and their portions are filling. The food definitely hits the spot if you're craving for late night sushi run!